


What You Never Knew You Needed

by afailureofheart



Category: One Direction
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-03
Updated: 2013-06-04
Packaged: 2017-12-13 21:41:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/829181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afailureofheart/pseuds/afailureofheart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. The one where Louis is a single dad with three kids who's kind of lost himself and Harry's the fit young nanny who turns out to be so much more than he seems.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. On Your Front Step

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first fic. I'm not sure how long it will be yet but bear with me. This is chapter one and chapter two is currently in the works. Thank you to everyone who read for me and gave me awesome feedback! I really hope you like it!

It was hot. Again. The heat had been blistering for the past week. Louis hadn’t wanted to turn on the air conditioning, so he tried his best to pacify his kids with boxes of cherry popsicles and more window fans than he could count, but the humidity and baking sun were getting to all of them.

 

He had to be more cautious about money now. Now that Hannah was gone. It’d been almost a year since she’d left, but this summer felt just like the first. Too many football matches, play dates, and trips to the pool. And not nearly enough beer drinking, napping, and leaving Daddy alone. Every day felt like a marathon of running, playing, and fixing lunches. Louis was exhausted, and summer was supposed to be his time off.

 

The only consolation for the terrible pay of working as a supply teacher was that he had the summers off. Unfortunately, this last month seemed less like a vacation and more like work.

 

Louis loved his kids, considered every stubbed toe and grass stained t-shirt a god damn blessing even. But enough was enough, and he finally admitted to himself that he needed help.

 

He’d called up a nanny agency recommended to him by Lou. She’d said that she hired girls from this agency loads and Lux always loved them all. At first, he was hesitant. He wasn’t comfortable with the idea of having a stranger take care of his kids; but he realized he really needed some time to himself. He could barely even get off anymore without one of the kids barging in asking to go to the park. He needed someone to be there to give him a break once in awhile, for the sake of his non-existent sex life.  

 

Louis had changed his shirt for the third time, partially from the heat but also partially because of his nerves. He wanted to make a good impression on the nanny. He didn’t want to open the door looking like the sweaty, overworked mess he knew he was.

 

He was nervous about hiring help. Louis always tried so hard to do everything himself, and sometimes it was hard to admit that he couldn’t. He’d never seen himself as the type of person to have a nanny. It felt like they were for the snobby rich people who had so much money they decided to pay someone else to raise their kids. Louis, a part time supply teacher struggling to make ends meet as a single dad, didn’t exactly fit into that mold. He also never saw himself as a 32 year old, seperated, sex-deprived man, either . So stranger things have happened.

 

When the doorbell finally rang, Louis changed his shirt for the last time. He opened the door nervously, plastering on a smile he hoped looked more inviting than maniacal, but there were no guarantees.

 

However, the person standing behind it was not what he had expected.

 

The person standing on his doorstep wasn’t a nanny, couldn’t be a nanny. Louis stared open mouthed at the boy in front of him.

 

He was tall; a good few inches taller than Louis. Probably around 6 ft. He wore a black tank top and black jeans so tight they looked almost painted on, and completely inappropriate considering the heat. His skin was inked all along the right side, in what could only be described as doodles. He had a large chest piece under his sharp collar bones, the faded black looking almost natural against his tanned skin.

 

Louis just looked at him, trying to comprehend what was in front of him, and failing miserably.

 

“Hello,” the boy smiled brightly. His voice was slow and thick like molasses, rumbling from deep in his chest. A languid baritone that didn’t seem to match his doe eyes or pink pout, but fit all too well with his strong eyebrows and square jaw.  

 

His smile was wide, white and just crooked enough to be endearing and utterly disarming. A dimple popping out just in time to make Louis want to melt from something else besides the 95 degree weather. After a minute of silence the expression in his eyes, bright and green like the grass after the summer storms, went from friendly to questioning.

 

Louis slowly realized he’d been staring at the boy for a good minute without saying anything. He could feel the heat and the bugs coming in around him as he gradually came back into focus.

 

“Right, er hello.” Louis stuttered awkwardly, feeling his face grow red. “… Is there something I can help you with, mate?”

 

He felt rude, but there was no way that the fit kid on his doorstep could be the nanny from the agency. He couldn’t be right? It wasn’t completely out of the question, he supposed, but really what kind of professional child care service sent over a kid in jeans with duct tape over the knees to watch your kids? He looked more like he belonged at a concert for some band Louis was too old to know about rather than standing in front of Louis’ two bedroom, two and a half bath condo.

 

”…I’m here for the nanny position? They said 12 o’clock right? I know it’s five past, I’m really sorry. It’s actually kind of a funny story. You see my flatmate Liam, real nice lad, he just got this dog. It’s a puppy, super cute, and I love it, but it’s not exactly house trained. And then there was this whole ordeal with an amp and Loki drinking all the beer. I thought it was funny, well, Niall not so much though.”

 

Louis continued to stare.

 

“Oh, god sorry. I’m rambling aren’t I? I have this bad tendency. Well it’s really only with stories. Everyone says I’m shit at telling them and they’re probably right. Sorry. Again. I’m Harry. Styles. You’re Mr. Tomlinson right?”

 

“Yeah, that’s me. Uh, why don’t you come inside?” Louis said, breaking out of his trance, waving at Harry to follow him inside.

 

He could handle this. He was an adult. He wasn’t going to let some tanned, muscular nanny make him lose his cool, no. This was fine. Maybe when Harry rambled he couldn’t help staring at the way his lips pressed together, pink and plump. But Louis wasn’t going to think about that. No. Harry was here for the kids.

 

“So Darcy and Charlie are in the back, they’re twins, both six years old. George should be in his room. He’s 12 and a bit moody but don’t take it too personally.” Louis explained, trying to keep his voice steady when inside he was freaking out.

 

“And where’s Mom?” Harry asked, following Louis through the kitchen and into the living room.

 

“She and I aren’t together anymore.” Louis said quickly.

 

“Oh.. I’m sorry.” Harry trailed off awkwardly.

 

“It’s fine.” Louis said, stopping in front of the sliding glass door and turning to look at Harry. “It’s been almost a year now since Hannah left. It was hard when she left… none of us really saw it coming. Being a single dad is tough, but I make out alright. I love my kids to death but sometimes I feel like I just need a break.” Louis rushed out, wanting to explain everything to Harry but not knowing why or how. He’d just met the kid, and he was his employer now. Not really time for sob stories. “Sorry. You don’t want to hear all that.” he said awkwardly, after a moment of silence, scuffling his feet on the carpet. He felt like he was back in 6th form, confessing his feelings to the captain of the football team in the locker room.

 

“No. I totally understand. My dad wasn’t around much growing up, but it really only made me love my mom more for everything she did for me. It can be tough but I’m sure you’re doing a great job.” Harry said, looking right into Louis’ eyes. Holding his gaze.

 

They stood like that for a few seconds until Louis realized what was happening. He coughed awkwardly, turning away. The eye contact hadn’t been uncomfortable, just a little intense. He wasn’t sure how he felt about staring deeply into the eyes of his new nanny after being embarrassingly open with him.

 

“Daddy who’re you talking to?” A small blonde head popping around the sliding glass door, and a little brown one not far behind.

 

“Darcy, this is Harry. He’s here to keep you and Charlie company.” Louis said, smiling down at the little sandy haired girl.

 

“Oh! Hi Harry!” She said in a voice much too big for her little body. Her blue eyes sparkling with curiosity and pink lips stretched into a smile, showing little rows of small straight teeth with one missing on the side. “Do you like games? You can come play with me and Charlie! We were gonna play hopscotch. Do you like hopscotch?”

 

“Why, yes I do Darcy. How did you know?” Harry said, smiling back, not phased by the little girl. All fond eyes and warmth.

 

“Well come on! Oh and this is Charlie. He doesn’t talk much but he’s my best friend.” Darcy said, tugging Harry and Charlie behind her as she marched into the back garden. Harry looked a little ridiculous bending over to allow himself to be led by the six year old. Louis couldn’t help but notice how big his hands looked in comparison to Darcy’s. All long fingers and bony knuckles next to her small thick hands, still soft with baby fat.

 

“Are you coming Daddy?” Charlie asked quietly. Turning around and trying his best to stay put as Darcy tried to keep pulling him outside.

 

“I think I’m going to go take a shower if that’s alright?” Louis said. What had meant to be a statement ended up being more of a question, as he looked to Harry for a confirmation.

 

“I think Charlie, Darcy and I have a game of hopscotch to play.” Harry said giving Louis a look that said everything was fine.

 

Louis turned, walking out of the room and into the hallway. He could hear Darcy rattling on about different games she liked, occasionally pausing to wait for Harry’s answer. Louis chuckled to himself. That was his Darcy. She was always friendly and energetic, sometimes a little too energetic, excited to meet new people and do new things. A stark contrast to her brother Charlie who was much more shy. He had a tendency to hide behind Darcy’s bravado, and she had a tendency to speak for him. Louis worried about it sometimes. He just wanted Charlie to be his own person. He was only six though, and Louis hoped he would grow out of it.

 

He considered staying to listen, to see if leaving Harry alone with his kids was actually a good idea, but he felt guilty not trusting him. He still had his reservations but Harry seemed sweet with the kids and Louis was going to at least try to give him the benefit of the doubt. How much damage could he really do anyway? Besides, Louis had more important things to do. He had to call Lou and yell at her.

 

“Hello,” answered Lou’s cheery voice.

 

“You will not believe what just showed up on my doorstep.”

 

“Hm…the cast of One Tree Hill? I know you’ve been secretly waiting for that. I know you wrote them years ago but never lose hope and all that. Or maybe that couple whose wedding you crashed your third year in uni because you thought re-enacting Wedding Crashers was a good idea. I’ve never understood your fascination with Owen Wilson.”

 

“Lou this is not the time to recount Louis’ hit list of dumb ideas. It was the nanny from the agency you recommended. But not just any nanny, no, that would be too easy. An 18 year old boy nanny. Complete with tattoos and tattered jeans and biceps bigger than my head.”

 

“Oh, 18 Louis, you know what that means. He’s legal. Is he cute grungy or just grungy? What’s his name?”

 

“I don’t even know if he’s 18! The point is he’s not a 24 year old exchange student whose favourite pastime is knitting like you promised!”

 

“Deliah’s great, but it sounds like you’ve got something better.”

 

“I hate you. This is not what I signed up for, and now he’s out in the garden playing with Darcy and Charlie so there’s no going back now. He seems okay with them, but I still have some reservations.”

 

“How long has it been since you’ve been with a guy anyway Louis? Since uni maybe. Much too long.”

 

“I’m still not even sure this hired help thing was a good idea. I can do it all on my own. It’s fine. I just need to be more organized.” Louis went on, completely ignoring her comment.

 

“Louis you can’t do this on your own. You know that. The school year was hard enough and now that you’re on break what you need is a real break. I know it’s been hard since Hannah left, but stop blaming yourself for what she did. You don’t need to prove to your kids you’ll never abandon them. They know you won’t. You’re an amazing dad. Stop being so hard on yourself. You deserve a break.” Lou said, suddenly turning serious.

 

“I’m just not sure Harry’s the way to do it.” Louis sighed, feeling very confused.

 

“Oh so fit nanny’s name is Harry.”

 

“Lou.” Louis warned.

 

“In all seriousness it’s good for you to be attracted to someone again. I mean when was the last time you’ve been with someone babe?”

 

“It’s, I mean…You know….Not that long.” Louis stuttered. Too embarrassed to admit how long it had actually been.

 

“Well I hear those nanny affairs are hot, all secret kisses and-"

 

“I’m hanging up now.”

 

“You always want what you can’t have, and I know how much you used to like-”

 

Louis wasn’t about to let her finish that sentence. She was right though, he hadn’t been with a guy in a long time, and it felt like even longer since he’d been this attracted to one. But he didn’t think his very young looking nanny was a very good place to start.

 

Setting his phone down, he scrubbed his face. Trying to shut down thoughts of tall tan boys and pink lips, thinking maybe a shower would be a good idea. And a very cold one.

 

Before he could get up there was a knock on the door.

 

“Come in.” Louis said without thinking.

 

In walked a shirtless Harry. It turns out his arms weren’t the only things that were toned to perfection. He had a six pack and deep v to match.

 

“Oh sorry I was looking for George’s room. The twins wanted him to come play, and I thought it might be a good way to, you know, connect.”

 

Louis just sort of looked at him. Still too stunned by his perfectly chiseled torso to speak.

 

“The kids are so lovely. Darcy’s really bright and intuitive. She’s a sweetheart, but very opinionated. And Charlie, I can tell he’s a little shy but I think I’ll be able to get him out of his shell. I can tell already underneath he’s a really interesting kid. They both have really pretty eyes. It’s like a pale icy blue color, kind of like yours. That must be where they get it from.”

 

Louis felt like his chest was caving in on itself.

 

Harry finally noticed the staring.

 

“Oh, sorry about the shirtless thing. I was just really hot. It’s just been deadly this past week. If it makes you feel uncomfortable I can put a shirt on. I understand if you don’t want me hanging around the kids like this,” he blushed.

 

Louis just sort of shook his head and pointed down the hallway. At this point, forming a coherent sentence was really kind of out of the question. Thankfully Harry nodded, seeming to understand the instruction, and closed the door.

 

Louis scrubbed his face again and thought about cold showers. He had a feeling he would be taking a lot of them this summer.


	2. A Half Baked Resolution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay the second chapter is finished! Thanks again to everyone who read for me you're lovely. I don't know anything about the British university system, or really the American one for that matter, so pardon me. I hope you like where this is going!

It wasn’t long after Louis finished his shower that he started to feel the heat again. Sometimes in the summer it feels like you can never cool off, constantly stuck in a never ending cycle of sticky and uncomfortable. His stuffy room didn’t help much either, the window fan not doing as much as Louis wished it would.

 

He he sat down on his bed, toweling his hair off, knowing it would dry funky, sticking up in strange tufts, but he wasn’t trying to impress anyone. At least, that’s what he told himself.

 

His room always felt too big for just him now, the queen size bed empty with no one to steal the covers. Hannah had decorated the room, and try as Louis had he never managed to completely rid it of her. She was still there in the light blue linen curtains with the white trim on the bottom. She was still there in the navy throw pillows that matched the duvet that Louis always kept stuffed away in the back of the closet, too lazy to be bothered with actually making the bed in the first place.

 

He dressed in a worn t-shirt he grabbed from his dresser, the words so faded and cloth worn thin it was like tissue paper against his damp skin. Throwing on a pair of clean looking shorts from one of the various piles of clothes on his floor, somehow Louis had never managed to grow out of his floordrobe stage,  he worked on a speech for the small justification for firing Harry he’d found in the shower.

 

Underneath the freezing water, and between the soapy denials Louis had made a choice. He decided he needed to tell Harry it wasn’t going to work. There was no way he could let Harry work for him. No way at all. Not with the indecent thoughts he’d already had about the boy and he had only been there for a little over an hour.

 

This was the agency's fault. Harry just wasn’t a good fit for Louis’ family. The kids already had a one parent, but they needed another constant in their life. They needed a role model, not some teenager. Louis wasn’t going to stand for this. He wanted his 24 year old knitting connoisseur, and he was going to get it.

 

Louis finally left his room full of conviction, and with a plan. He marched down the hallway that led towards the kitchen preparing himself mentally.  As he neared the kitchen he could hear laughter. A slow deep chuckle and high pitched squeals intermingling,  and leaping over each other. Louis stopped dead in his tracks at the scene he found once he reached the kitchen, frozen in the doorway.

 

There was flour everywhere. On the floor, the counters, even in Darcy’s hair. The most flour though was on Harry. It covered his curls, making him look gray, and colored every crease of his pants. He was still shirtless, but he was now wearing an apron printed with dancing cupcakes.

 

Louis remembered that apron. He’d given it to Hannah when they got their first flat. They didn’t have much money, and Hannah loved to bake. He got her a cupcake themed baking set. Complete with an apron, rolling pin, baking tins, and little muffin papers patterned with the silly dancing cupcake print.

 

When Hannah left Louis threw the whole thing out. He didn’t know how to bake and the reminder was just another painful string in the careful web of his life that Hannah tore through when she left. But Obviously he’d forgotten to throw out the apron though, because there was Harry, sitting on the floor in a pile of his children's limbs, and covered in flour, wearing the damn thing.

 

“Daddy! Daddy! Look what me and Harry did!” Darcy squealed seeing him in the doorway. “Harry said we could make cupcakes! But then George said cupcakes were stupid, and then we had a food fight! And now I’m all covered in white stuff!”

 

“I can see that,” Louis said assessing the state of the kitchen. There was butter on the refrigerator door and Charlie, who Louis hadn’t noticed before, was clinging to Harry’s back with something spilled all over his shirt and a clump of something sticking his wavy hair into brown little spikes all over this head. George sat at the table, playing with a pile of salt and staring guiltily at his feet. His hair unlike the other two’s had seemed to be spared by the mess, still intact in the little sandy quiff he’d been sporting lately.

 

Ever since he’d started hanging out with James, the new kid next door, he’d been styling it painstakingly in the mirror every morning into a perfect flip. Louis couldn’t help but notice the sudden change in his son's behavior. George was a handsome kid, he had Louis’ high cheek bones and angular jaw, and his mother’s big brown eyes and full cheeks. He was starting to hit his growth spurt and lose his baby fat, but Louis didn’t want to think about him growing up. He was his first kid, unexpected but a blessing he could have never predicted anyway. Louis tried to stay out of his business but he worried about George’s new found obsession with hair wax.

 

He kicked his heels against the legs of the chair, shoulders hunched over like he was just waiting to be yelled at. But his expression was nothing compared to Harry’s. Harry sat in the middle of the floor, with Darcy in his lap, looking like a deer caught in headlights. He quickly picked up Darcy, and gently pulled away from Charlie’s grip, trying to stand up. He shook the flour out of his hair and tried in vain to dust off his pants.

 

“I’m so sorry Mr. Tomlinson. I didn’t mean to make this much of a mess. I really like to bake and we were playing hopscotch and Charlie mentioned how much he liked chocolate chip cookies...And well...The whole thing got completely out of hand.” He said sheepishly running his hands anxiously through his hair, flour coming out in little puffs.

 

He looked ridiculous honestly, in his tight ripped jeans, hair sticking every which way, and wearing that damn cupcake apron.

 

Louis just stared at him until he couldn’t take it anymore and burst into laughing. His laughter cut through the silence in short barks. Then Darcy started to giggle, followed by Charlie, George snickers. Harry still looked terrified.

 

“You look ridiculous Harry,” Louis managed to get out between peels of laughter.

 

Harry suddenly started to grin slowly, a mischievous look in his green eyes.

 

He reached over to the counter, scooping up a handful of flour, lobbing it at Louis. Before Louis could register what was happening he was covered in flour. Louis didn’t react immediately.

 

Harry froze, obviously afraid he’d done the wrong thing.

 

“Oh my god. Mr. Tomlinson I’m so-” Harry said looking like he thought he’d killed a puppy.

 

Louis lunged at him tackling him to the floor, wrestling him into the flour. Darcy squealed in delight, and George whooped. They rolled around in the middle of the flour, knocking over chairs and sliding in splotches of butter. There was lots of screaming and yelling, as the kids cheered on their dad. Darcy couldn’t seem to decide who she wanted to win more, so she alternated between, “Go Daddy go!,” and, “Yay Harry.”

 

They were surprisingly evenly matched. Louis was a good amount shorter than Harry, but what he lacked in height he made up in finesse and dirty tactics. It wasn’t long until he figured out Harry’s ticklish spot just below his ribs. Harry struggled, but cried out breathless pleas between his involuntary laughter. His long limbs hitting cabinets and children alike, completely out of control.

 

It wasn’t until he had Harry’s arms pinned to the tiles in one hand and was tickling up and down his sides with the other, that Louis realized what was happening. He was covered in flour, surrounded by his three kids on the floor of his kitchen, tickling his new nanny. He abruptly stopped. Luckily, the kids had abandoned watching the wrestling a few moments ago. Instead choosing to engage in their own three person wrestling match, complete with hair pulling and hand fulls of brown sugar.

 

They didn’t notice when Louis stopped, frozen over Harry. They didn’t notice when Louis slowly pulled his hands away, and they most certainly didn’t notice the way Louis couldn’t seem to catch his breath.

 

Louis stayed there on top of Harry, legs spread over the long thin torso beneath him, just staring into his leafy green eyes that shined with something unreadable. Finally, Louis came to his senses, heat rushing to his cheeks, mumbling an awkward string of incoherent apologies as he got up.

 

Charlie was the first to disengage from the tangle of kids, realizing the commotion had finally died down. However, George and Darcy were too distracted still tumbling in a floury mess to realize anything had stopped. Darcy was busy trying to pound her little fists into George, as he laughed mockingly, teasing her that it didn't even hurt.  

 

“George don’t provoke Darcy, and Darcy our fists are never the answer.” Louis said trying his best to at least pretend to be a good parent after the show he’d just put on.

 

“But Daddy you and Harry were wrestling.” Darcy pouted accusingly, her bottom lip sticking out. Darcy hated getting in trouble.

 

Harry blushed, high and pink on his sharp cheekbones, and Louis pretended not to notice.

 

“Why don’t you all go put on some clean clothes, you’re a mess.”Louis said shooing the kids out of the kitchen, pointedly ignoring her comment. They traipsed out of the room trailing flour through the beige carpet of the hallway, which Louis knew would be a pain to clean out later.

 

He turned back to the kitchen to survey the damage. There was a mixture of flour and god knows what covering the tiles, swirled in dirty brown spots where he and Harry had been rolling around. The counters were a mess too, the linoleum covered in cracked eggs and dirty teaspoons. They’d even managed to knock over the trash can in their haste. There wasn’t a surface not sticky or covered in some sort of filth. Louis sighed. He was covered in an indistinguishable film of gross too. So much for the shower he’d just taken.

 

Harry rubbed the back of his neck guiltily. “I really am sorry about this. The whole thing kind of got out of hand. I’ll clean the whole thing up though, I promise.”

 

“It’s really fine Harry. Did you guys even make any cookies?” He chuckled, setting the chairs right and pushing them back underneath the wooden table.

 

“Actually no, ironically enough. It seems more of the ingredients ended up on the floor, than in the pan.” Harry said grinning sheepishly.

 

Louis pulled the broom out from behind the refrigerator and started sweeping.

 

“You really don’t have to do that. I made the mess I can clean it up.”  Harry said, coming over and attempting to take it from him.

 

His hand accidentally brushed Louis’ as he looked at him, ducking his head a little to make eye contact. They stayed like that, touching just the slightest, just sort of looking into each others eyes until Harry cleared his throat loudly. Louis shuffled away awkwardly, suddenly remembering what he had set out to do.

 

He had made a decision. That decision was to fire Harry. He still felt guilty, but in light of recent events he really had no choice. What had started as a (somewhat) innocent attraction, now felt like it was already spiraling out of hand. What excuse did he really have to tackle Harry and tickle him breathless. That was completely inappropriate. On top of that he definitely liked touching him more than he should, and the breathless sound of his voice made Louis question his sanity.

 

Louis let go of the broom, quickly ducking under the sink, feigning looking for more cleaning products when he was really trying to steady his breath. He had to fire Harry. This was too much. He grabbed a rag and some soap, finally standing up when his heart stopped feeling like it was going to burst out of his chest.

 

Harry was already sweeping up the flour, trying his best to get it out of the lines between the square tiles.

 

“So listen Harry-” Louis started, nervous but determined.

 

“If its alright if I interrupt you Mr. Tomlinson...”

 

“Call me Louis.”

 

“Right, Louis. I’d just like to thank you so much for giving me this opportunity. I know you probably didn’t expect to get a twenty-year-old covered in tattoos when you hired a nanny.”

 

He was twenty not eighteen. Louis stored this in the back of his mind, to consider later. When he was alone, and trying to convince himself he wasn’t a horrible person doomed to spend eternity in hell.

 

“No. I mean the agency sent you, so you must be qualified.” Louis covered, because yes he had been surprised to find Harry on his doorstep. He had been the last thing he’d expected.

 

 

“I am!” Harry reassured. “Its just, well it wouldn’t be the first time a family asked for a transfer before getting to know me.”

 

 

Louis felt really guilty, that was exactly what he planned on doing. But he had a reason! It had less to do with an apprehension about Harry’s tattoos and more to do with an unhealthy attraction to them. He wasn’t judging a book by its cover. He actually happened to like that cover. Just more than he probably should.

 

“I know the tattoos seem like a lot, and I should probably dress more conservatively for this job, but ever tattoo I get is a part of me, they’re all pieces of my past, and I don’t want to pretend to be someone I’m not just for a job.” Harry explained.

 

“The thing is Harry-” Louis started again, clinging desperately to what little resolve he had left as he looked down at the refrigerator door, wiping the butter off with his rag.

 

But Harry barreled on, “I just really need this job, and I don’t mean to sound desperate, but I guess I am. I want to study film, and my parents aren’t being particularly supportive of my abandoning my economics degree, so I’m kind of on my own for paying for university now.”

 

He had stopped sweeping.

 

Louis couldn’t find the strength to turn away from the refrigerator and crush his dreams. So he didn’t. He turned to Harry and said, “Its really nothing mate. You’re the one helping me,” smiling softly.

 

Harry grinned back crookedly.

 

It was those dimples, there was nothing he could do. If anything he was the victim here! Being taken advantage of good natured film students with smiles too big for their face and dimples you could probably fall into and never find your way out they were so deep.

 

They finished cleaning the kitchen in silence. Louis knew there was no way he could fire Harry. Especially not now that he had just thanked him, and told him his dreams rested on this job. There was just no way.

 

He was doing a good thing really, helping a struggling student pay his way through uni. Louis was a saint practically! At least this is what he told himself as he watched the way Harry’s bare back muscles rolled as he dried the last of the dishes. This wasn’t for the him, no. This was for Harry...and the kids. This was for them.


End file.
